Wednesday 23 November 2016

Canons Farm and Beddington Farmlands, 23rd November 2016

I started fairly early on at Canons Farm, which yielded little of note, before heading to Beddington Farmlands to do the rounds there with Christian C. The highlights of an enjoyable three hours or so were at least four Water Pipits, a first-winter Caspian Gull, a calling Cetti's Warbler, a few Common Snipe and a couple of Stonechats. A vocal Bullfinch, an uncommon bird there, was a bonus. I was amazed by how much the water level had risen since my last visit a couple of weeks ago, submerging much of the islands (surely a decent duck is due here soon?) and the incinerator seemed to have come along in its brutal gestation. Returning to Canons in the evening, I was joined by Jack B in a vain attempt to see the Barn Owls but a couple of the local Little Owls were yelping away.

Common Snipe

First-winter Caspian Gull